what is the difference between wiccan and pagan?

Question

i was wondering if i might be pagan, and i know alot about wicca but don't practice it, i don't really believe in spells, charms, writings, color magic and stuff like that, but i do believe in all things natural, i think the earth should be respected, all my beliefs revolve around the earth and doing good things....i wrote a question about what religion might i be becuase i really don't know what catagory i fall into....i just know what i believe, but getting back to the point, what is the difference between paganism and being wiccan?

Answer 1

Wicca
Founded by British civil servant Gerald Gardner in the 1930s, Wicca is a Neopagan religion which tends to focus on the worship of two deities: the Goddess and the Horned God. Wiccan morality is based upon a princinple known as Wiccan Rede, according to which "An' it harm none, do what ye will" (here, "an" is an archaic form of "if").

Gardner claimed that what he promoted was a originally a part of matriarchal religions of pre-historic Europe. He also claimed that the details were taught to him by an old woman called Dorothy Clutterbuck. Today, however, many believe that he invented it himself, drawing on such sources like Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by Charles G. Leland, and Freemasonry. During Gardner's day the idea that there existed at one time in prehistory matriarchal religions was also very popular; today, however, that belief has been largely rejected in the academic community due to a lack of evidence.

paganism
The term pagan comes from the Latin term paganus, which simply means "countryman." In its earliest usage, it was applied to those who continued to adhere to traditional Greek and Roman religions even after Christianity became dominant. Because Christianity first gained dominance in the cities rather than the rural areas, the traditional religious beliefs came to be identified with the less cosmopolitan citizens of the empire.

Today, a great many pagans identify themselves as pantheists. Like other pantheists, pagans too believe that divinity is manifested everywhere, yet they are distinctive in that they relate to whatever they conceive of as God primarily through nature. They celebrate solstices, equinoxes and other natural passages, and they typically have a strong environmental ethic and a deep love of the natural world.

Many pagans are straight pantheists, using polytheism as a metaphoric way of approaching the cosmic divinity they believe in. Some people feel the need for symbols and personages to mediate their relationship with nature and the cosmos, and most say that there is no harm in this, as long as the symbols help them to connect to reality and do not block or distort their view of the cosmos. Pantheists can, however, also relate directly to the universe and to nature, without the need for any intermediary symbols or deities.

However, many pagans are literal polytheists and believe in magic, reincarnation, and the irrational. Modern pantheists are not generally polytheistic and do not believe in magic or disembodied spirits of any sort. Most of them also do not believe in a personal afterlife, whether through reincarnation or transport to any kind of non-material "heaven."

Answer 2

This question is asked alot. Haven't you looked at the other answers?

Pagan is an umbrella term for many Non-JudeoChristian religions. You can find more info at http://www.sacredhearth.com/whatispagan.html

Wicca is a specific Pagan religion founded, or at least publicized by one Gerald Gardner of Britain a little over 50 years ago, based on older folk religion.

Wicca is Pagan, but most Pagans are, in fact, not Wiccan.

Answer 3

There are many kinds of pagan - wicca is just one loose category within the larger set of "pagan" religions or spirituality. There are many others.

Even within wicca there are a variety of different traditions, and within those traditions every individual follows their own personal path - and no two paths are identical. Each individual path may or may not include certain practices and beliefs, there is no "one true and right way" to be wiccan - your choices are as valid as anyone else's.

Don't worry about what "category" or religion you might belong to - you are in your own category, you are following your own path...

Your relationship to the earth is personal - no one else has the right to tell you how, or how much, to love the earth, you already know how you feel.

Answer 4

Wiccans are Pagans. Pagan is a definition of one who believes in multiple energies or Gods.

Some other religions or faiths can also be considered Pagans.

I am a high Priest, or an Oluwo Babalawo of the African religion of Ifa. We worship different Orisa, our ancestors, but we don't consider ourselves Pagans, because we still believe in one God or creator. We do readings, sacrifices and other things, but realize there in one creator above all else.

Answer 5

To honestly answer your question, I would look into http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page and type in both Pagan and Wiccan. I have done research in both subjects, but there are many different beliefs when it comes to both from other religions. Christians most commonly refer to be being related to Satan. Other say there they are all about magick. The short version is Wiccan is about spells, magick, charms, etc. Pagan is more about protecting life - humans, animals, but also has Wiccan and other religion aspects to it.

Answer 6

Not much difference as both a nature religions.One is the Old name from the bible denoting people who lived to far from cities to practice their religion and made one that worked with the same elements that they worked with everyday. Wiccans are modern day versions of the same thing and are trying to rebuild the OLD RELIGION to fit the modern times while holding on to the past ideas.
The Jewish people were given strict rules to follow if they had to stay at a Pagans home over night or longer due to inclement weather.Such as not eating meat that was meant or used for sacrifice.

Answer 7

There is a test you should take.

Wiccans believe in the Goddess and God and follow the Wiccan Rede, they are a Pagan religion.

http://www.belief.net/story/76/story_7665_1.html

Answer 8

pretty much it's dogma. wiccans beleive in certain ways to do spellcraft, ritual , etc depending on the diety they worship. pagans have a general belief in spirit and may or may not practice organized religion.

Answer 9

WICCA IS A PAGAN RELIGION.





pagan = all religions that do not believe in JC or islam

Answer 10

Not sure.

My advice to you: Screw the given definitions of such religious matters. If you're not into modern organized religion, then just believe what you want to believe.